Birmingham, Alabama—In Alabama native Wade Hall’s book An Interview with Abraham Lincoln, journalist and Union soldier Shelby Grider is granted an interview with the sixteenth president three weeks before Lincoln is assassinated. Grider gets Honest Abe to open up about personal subjects ranging from his childhood to marriage, and his desire to unite a divided nation. Hall makes this historical event resonate by using excerpts of Lincoln’s speeches and letters as the basis for Lincoln’s replies.

This particular Alabama Bound Presents is more than a book talk and lecture: Hall will entertain the audience with a dramatic interpretation of his work. Come celebrate Lincoln’s birthday at Central Library’s Arrington Auditorium on Saturday, February 12, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. Copies of his book will be available for purchase and signing.

A resident of Louisville, Kentucky, since 1962, Wade Hall has since relocated to his hometown of Unions Springs, Alabama. He is the author of more than twenty books and hundreds of articles, poems, essays, and reviews. A retired English professor, he holds degrees from Troy State University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Illinois. His work has been adapted for the stage and he is a recipient of the Alabama Library Association’s literary award for “Distinguished Contribution to Alabama’s Literary Heritage.”

Alabama Bound Presents is a series of Alabama author talks and book signings offered free-of-charge by Birmingham Public Library. Alabama Bound Presents highlights local and regional authors that reflect the diversity of our community and draw from a wide range of personal experience. Through programs such as these, the library seeks to provide Birmingham citizens of all ages opportunities for entertainment, ongoing education, and personal growth and an opportunity for local authors to publicize their latest work. This series replaces the one day event, Alabama Bound, previously held in the spring.

Additional programs are scheduled as part of Alabama Bound Presents. For more information, please visit the BPL website at www.bplonline.org or call (205) 226-3742.